200 Years Old Structure Hides Underground Modern Stone House

A 200 year old existing stone house in Linescio, Switzerland was renovated by Buchner Bründler Architekten with a distinctive, minimalistic approach. The house has been completely left in its original state on the outside, while in the interior, a house within a house was constructed. A new minimal concrete shell has transformed the space into a contemporary living space with a unique, calm atmosphere. All new elements are consistently made of concrete: the bathtub as a recess in the floor, and the kitchen worktop with a sink integrated as a single cast form. High, folding wood shutters cover the original front windows, which have partially lost their glass, while a new glass door leads out to the garden. The concrete was brought in layer by layer and still bears the marks of the formwork. The existing walls act as an extra layer of insulation, though the home is only meant for use in the summer. “The plastic, evocative qualities of the exposed concrete intensify the archaic character and the calm atmosphere of this stone house,” say the architects.

The “Cube Tube” office and restaurant building was developed by Sako Architects within the economic development zone of Jinhua, China. “Contrasting the style of the existing context, a fenestration pattern…